'Garbage burning, dumping C&D waste top contributors to Delhi pollution'

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Wednesday said open burning of garbage, dumping of construction waste and use of tandoors in restaurants are among the top contributors to rising air pollution in the national capital.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has collected nearly Rs 1.51 crore in seven days from fines imposed on violators flouting the ban on these activities, she added.

"We have deployed special teams on the ground to keep a check on open burning (of garbage) and (dumping of) construction and demolition (C&D) waste, which have been banned keeping in mind the rising air pollution. These activities have been banned as they are among top contributors to the rising levels of air pollution in the city," Oberoi said during a press conference.

The MCD has deployed 517 surveillance teams to curb air pollution in the national capital. The teams have issued 297 challans for open burning of garbage and 622 challans for dumping C&D waste to defaulters in seven days.

Among the teams, 175 are deputed for day monitoring and 124 for night monitoring to check open burning of garbage.

The civic body has collected Rs 14.85 lakh from violators fined for open burning of garbage and Rs 1.37 crore for those flouting the C&D waste dumping ban, according to an official release.

The MCD has also removed 676 tandoors from restaurants in an attempt to control air pollution.

"Under the MCD's action against pollution, 297 open burning challans have been imposed amounting to a fine of Rs 14.85 lakh and 622 C&D challans accumulating a fine of Rs 1.37 crore during 01.11.2023 to 07.11.2023," the release stated.

The MCD has banned these activities under its Winter Action Plan, invoked as part of GRAP Stage IV.

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) -- a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the Delhi-NCR region in the winter season -- classifies actions under four different categories Stage I 'Poor' (AQI 201-300), Stage II 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400), Stage III 'Severe' (AQI 401-450), and Stage IV 'Severe Plus' (AQI > 450).

A monitoring team has also been set up to take stock of the situation on the ground.